Shri Narendra Modi addressed ‘Chaalo Gujarat 2012’, a World Gujarati Conference in USA, via video conferencing.
Shri Modi speaks on a range of issues including Gujarat’s development in various fields and the Gutka Mukti Abhiyan to save the youth from the menace of cancer.
Today people from all over the world are keen to know about Gujarat. Such occasions give a great opportunity to do that: Shri Modi
Gujarat has made a rich contribution to mankind from the time of Shri Krishna, Adi Shankar to Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel: Shri Modi
I don’t see a glass as only half full or half empty, I see it as a glass half full with air and the other half full with water: Shri Modi on his approach towards life.
Rather than taking things forward, UPA has wasted an entire decade: Shri Modi
I salute our farmers, skilled labour force and 6 lakh Karma Yogis of the Government who are toiling for the development of Gujarat: Shri Modi
In 2001 we had a devastating quake but Gujarat turned this around. Today Kutch, which was affected by the quake is among the fastest growing districts in India: Shri Modi
We have made Government a SEVAK not a Shasak: Shri Modi
Gujarat’s youngster wants to contribute something to the world: Shri Modi
I seek your support to the Gutka Mukti Abhiyan and saving youth from menace of cancer: Shri Modi
Write to your near and dear ones home, ask them to shun money and casteist politics and vote for development only: Shri Modi
In the wee hours of Sunday, 2nd September 2012, Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed ‘Chaalo Gujarat 2012.’ Chaalo Gujarat is a World Gujarati Conference that is currently going on in USA. It is organized by the Association of Indian Americans of North America (AIANA). Eminent Gujaratis from various walks of life and members of the Indian diaspora joined in to hear Shri Modi speak on the development of Gujarat and some of Gujarat’s new initiatives such as the Gutka Mukti Abhiyan.
Shri Modi states that it is a matter of immense pride that people from all over the world are keen to know about Gujarat, adding that such occasions give them a perfect opportunity to do so. He spoke about the rich contribution made by Gujarat towards the larger mankind right from the time of Shri Krishna, Adi Shankar to Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel. Shri Modi paid rich tributes to the contribution of Sardar Patel towards the national integration of the country and remarked that in such a short time he united India. He said that had he been given a chance to handle the Kashmir issue like he did in case of Hyderabad and Junagadh, things would have been very different. Shri Modi even paid glorious homages to unsung heroes of Gujarat such as Govind Guru of Mangadh who resisted imperial might at various points in time, adding that it was Gujarat that rose to the occasion after Independence and rejected a corrupt Government of the Congress during Navnirman Movement.
Shri Modi termed dynasty as a big impediment to growth. Praising Indian youngsters doing well in IT among other industries, he said these are youngsters who make India proud overseas with their knowledge and skills and that they don’t belong to any dynasty but rose due to their skills. He called India a Bahu Ratna Vasundhara, land with many talented people.
The Chief Minister affirmed that rather than taking things forward, the UPA Government at the Centre has actually wasted a decade. He spoke about that while agriculture under the UPA had grown at merely 3% in the last decade, Gujarat’s agriculture growth was over 10% for an entire decade despite the state being drought prone and without perennial rivers. He attributed this to the spirit and industrious zeal of Gujarat’s farmers. He gave an instance of how in a drought year Gujarat’s farmers gave up cultivating cash crops and grew wheat so that their fellow countrymen are fed.
Speaking on the industrial development in Gujarat, Shri Modi said this development was possible primarily due to the labour force of Gujarat that toils day and night to take the state on the path of development. He shared that there is ‘0 Man Days Loss’ in Gujarat. Shri Modi recalled how Gujarat recovered speedily from a devastating in 2001 and Kutch, which was the worst affected during the quake is today among the fastest growing districts of the country.
Saluting the 6 lakh Karma Yogis of the state Government, Shri Modi said that Gujarat’s development journey has been possible because the Government does not have a typical attitude of a ‘Shasak’ (administering from ivory towers) but that of a ‘Sevak’ (serving the people). He lauded them for dawning the mantle of service and contributing to the progress of the state.
Shri Modi saluted the ‘Nari Shakti’ of Gujarat that had played the anchoring role behind a 68% rise in the state’s milk production over the last decade.
He stated that the youth of Gujarat wishes to give something to the world and the Government is leaving no stone unturned to give them an opportunity to shine. Shri Modi also gave some facts about Gujarat efforts to promote human resource development- from 12,000 seats in engineering the number has risen to a lakh in the last decade. Medical seats have also gone up and the number of universities has increased from 11 in 2001 to 42 at present. Shri Modi opined that Gujarat is the first state with a Forensic Science University, which has drawn experts from leading countries and a Raksha Shakti University to train those who wish to serve the nation in future. He spoke about the iCreate initiative under the mentorship of Mr. Narayan Murthy, which gives a platform to innovation among youngsters. Terming the 21st century as the ‘Century of Knowledge’, Shri Modi stressed on creating an atmosphere of research and shared his belief that the world today cannot be won by the power of the sword but the might of the mind!
The Chief Minister sought active support and participation in the Gutka Mukti Abhiyan that seeks to comprehensively ban Gutka from the state from 11th September 2012. He asked the audience to give a missed call on 8000980009 to support this and save the youth from the menace of cancer.
Being the 50th anniversary of Panchayat Raj in India, Shri Modi talked about the state Government’s initiative of honoring all those elected representatives who have served their local bodies since the creation of Gujarat in 1960. He said that most people who would be honored would belong to the Congress but this is a matter of Rashtraniti (nation building) and cannot be seen from the narrow prism of Rajniti (politics).
Reminding the audience that this is an election year, Shri Modi urged the audience to personally write letters to their near and dear ones back home asking them to participate in this important festival of democracy and shun all forms of money power or politics of casteism and vote for development. He also urged the members of the diaspora who have Indian passports to exercise their franchise from their respective countries by filling Form 6 that will enable them to vote. Shri Modi invited the audience for the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investment Summit and thanked the organizers for inviting him to address this special gathering.
Earlier in May 2012, Shri Modi addressed another gathering of NRIs based across USA in which he had spoken of Gujarat’s development among other things. That interaction was widely appreciated by not only by those who were present but also on the Internet and social media.
